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to chariots for females. Set in array pitchers full of water. Bring together all learned Brahmans. Decorate all temples."
Bhikshus, all these arrangements were completed as ordered. Then king Suddhodana entered his chamber, sent for the great matron Gautamií, and said to her, "Dress the Prince so that he may be taken to the temple."
"Please your majesty," said the great matron Gautamí, and dressed the Prince. When the Prince was properly dressed, he innocently and with a smiling face and sweet accent thus addressed his aunt,3" Mamma, where will you take me to ?"
"To the temple, my son," said she. Then the Prince, with a pleasant face and an arch sinile, addressed these verses to his sunt:
LATITA-VISTARA.
"On my birth all these three thousand regions trembled; and S'akra, Brabmá, Suras, Mahoragas, Chandra, Súrya, Vais'ravana, and Kumára saluted me by lowering their beads to the ground. (1)
Which are the gods then which are so much greater and nobler than me to whom you wish, mamma, to send me? I am the god of gods, noble than all gods. There is no god equal to me; how can there be one greater than me? (2)
"For the gratification of the people, mamma, I shall go. By beholding me the crowd will be greatly exhilarated; even those who can exhibit wonders will respect me highly, and men and gods will know that I am the greatest god." (3)
Then, Bhikshus, king S'uddhodana, surrounded and attended by Brahmans, merchants, bankers, householders, ministers, provincial chiefs, warders, courtiers, friends, and cognates, took the Prince in a chariot well-embellished in the inner apartments, and proceeded along most sumptuously decorated roads, squares, crossings, and markets, redolent with the aroma of burning pastiles, and bestrewed with buds and flowers, amidst joyous greetings and auspicious music, followed by a grand retinue of elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, carrying umbrellas, flags, pernons and standards. Hundreds of thousands of Devas bore the chariot of
